Beach followed family tradition of being county clerk

Saturday, December 13, 2014
After 12 years as County Clerk, Tammi Beach retires at the end of 2014. Photo by Michelle Workman/Daily Mail

Nevada Daily Mail

For decades, Tammi Beach has served Vernon County in many ways. But soon she will find other ways to impact the community as she completes her final day as county clerk Dec. 31.

After her husband Roger announced his retirement from his position of director of public works after working for the city of Nevada for 20 years in different positions, Beach decided to follow his lead and not run for the position in 2014.

"I've had a good time," Beach said. "The county's been very good to me."

In May 1989, Beach first started working in the prosecuting attorney's office. She later switched to the county clerk's office and for the last 12 years has held the position of county clerk, which in the past had also been held by both an uncle and aunt.

"It has kind of been in the family," Beach said, although she said that did not influence her to seek the position.

Beach says that history in the position made it a family affair, as her family members helped her campaign. But the other staff members and others she came in contact with also became like a family for Beach.

"Just working with the public was a highlight for me," Beach said.

While she greatly enjoyed her job, which she said never grew boring, Beach said it also held its challenges as she learned to handle the budgeting and accounting aspect of it. They also adjusted to changes such as the law enforcement sales tax and addition of the jail to the county.

They also adapted as technology advanced, after starting with just two phones and two personal computers in the office of seven staff when Beach first started. They also grew in numbers, from 54 employees when she became county clerk in 2003 to anywhere from 76 to 80 today.

The political state of the county has changed as well, Beach said, as did the elections process after the adoption of the Help America Vote Act.

Over the years, Beach has seen the financial state of Vernon County improve as they look at ending 2014 with $500,000 in the bank. But she also remembers difficult years when the economy deteriorated.

"We had some pretty lean years in there," Beach said. But the county rebounded.

With their retirements, Roger and Tammi Beach plan to invest more time in Riverside Cowboy Church, where Roger serves as pastor, traveling for the ministry. They also hope to spend time visiting family members living all over the country, from Texas to Georgia to Arizona and other states.

They also hope to purchase cattle and spend time helping her father who also lives in Nevada.

While keeping busy with their church ministry and family, Beach said she would have to adjust to home life once more.

"That'll be different," Beach said, saying she looks forward to retiring and turning her focus to other things.

But at the same time, she said she would miss aspects of her job, especially the people she met and worked with through the years.

"I'm really going to miss a lot of people," Beach said.

Mike Buehler, previously from the sheriff's department, will take Beach's place at the start of the new year.

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